Bid to sell children beer with no alcohol

ALCOHOL-free beer could be promoted to children under new plans by licensing experts.

Proposals by the Edinburgh Licensing Forum would see supermarkets encouraged to introduce separate displays of alcohol-free beers.

The displays would be away from aisles selling beer, wine and spirits and would allow sales to under-18s within the law.

Under current regulation customers of any age can buy drinks which contain 0.5 per cent alcohol or less. However, the forum said that supermarkets still consider these products to be alcohol, stock them in alcohol aisles, restrict sales to over-18s and ban sales outwith 10am-10pm.

It said the move would be more in line with current law and could improve public health by making it easier to find lower alcohol products.

However, the proposal has been criticised by anti-alcohol campaigners, who argue it would encourage drinks firms to introduce brands aimed at children.

Jennifer Curran, head of policy at Alcohol Focus Scotland, said: “We are concerned this would allow major alcohol brands to introduce their low-alcohol alternatives to children if age restrictions were removed.

“We believe it is important that all drinks containing alcohol are displayed in the same area to make it clear they are special products subject to restrictions of sale.”

John Loudon, convener of the Edinburgh Licensing Forum, which represents those involved with the licensing system, and provides recommendations to the board, said: “If you take a zero per cent alcohol beer to the checkout, they won’t sell it if it is outwith licensed hours, or unless you can prove to be over 18, which is a nonsense.

“We feel supermarkets should be helping people to buy it if they wish.”

A decision will be taken tomorrow by Edinburgh council’s licensing board.